Walking Ghosts: Murder and Guerrilla Politics in Colombia

"In Walking Ghosts Steven Dudley chronicles the life and death of the UP (Patriotic Union party) through stories of the politicians, drug kingpins, revolutionaries, and mercenaries who play key roles in Colombia's civil strife. Dudley maps out the complicated and murderous absurdity that is present-day Colombia, where daily life has devastating consequences: 30,000 murders per year; 75 political assassinations per week, 10 kidnappings a day. As the conflict gets bloodier, international pressure and influence mounts: Worried about the FARC's strength and its role in the drug trade, the United States has sent close to three billion dollars in aid to help the Colombian government fight the FARC." "Walking Ghosts presents a window into a conflict likely to shape the politics of this hemisphere for years to come."--BOOK JACKET.